Power operated selection mechanism



1956 D. L. ROLPH 2,733,007

POWER OPERATED SELECTION MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet lN :0 r I F) mmm: I 2

DONALD L. ROLPH A ORNEY Jan. 31, 1956 D. L. ROLPH POWER OPERATEDSELECTION MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1952 m #V I HHIMH mi31 mu muHll -u m1 C N2 :1 Q I 5 m2 34% ow mm mm Nb m-HlMIH NN VENTO A ORDONALD L.ROLPH m m- H II H 2,733,007 POWER OPERATED SELECTION MECHANISMDonald L. Rolph, Hayward, Calif., assignor to Friden Calculating Machine(30., -Inc., a corporation of California This invention relates tocalculating machines, and par- United States Patent ticularly to amechanism for progressively changing the selection mechanism withsuccessive cycles of machine operation, as is necessary in theextraction of square root described in the copending applications ofGrant C. Ellerbeck, S. N. 244,518, filed; August 31, 1951, and S. N.279,832, filed April 1, 1952. H

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismfor progressively changing the value in the selection mechanism of acalculating machine during a multicycle operation, and particularly aselection mechanism of the type described in the patent to Phinney, No.1,399,652, issued December 6, 1921.

A further object is toprovide a step feed for the selection mechanism ofsaid patent.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide amechanism for storing a factor for use in inserting a keyboard valueinto the machine when desired by the operator and particularly adaptedto a selection mechanism of the type described in said Phinney patent.

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide an improvedfactor storage mechanism particularly adapted for use in storing anyfactor that would be inserted in the keyboard of a machine of the typedescribed in said Phinney patent.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismadapted to set the selection mechanism of said Phinney patent byincrements of any selected progression, as by increments of 1, in aparticular order and to simultaneously setv a predetermined value, suchas 5, in the next lower order thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a selectionmechanism of the type described, by means of which mechanism a selectedprogression of numbers, such as successive odd numbers in the extractionof square root, can be inserted into the selection mechanism of thecalculating machine. v

These, and other, objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe description and claims which follow.

The invention will be more readily understood by a consideration of thedrawings which form a part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one order of the selection mechanism of saidPhinney patent, with one embodiment of my step, or cyclic, feedmechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear view of the mechanism of my invention shownin Fig. 1, such as taken along the oblique plane indicated by the line2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is an enlarged development of the operating cam shown in Figs. 1and 2.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the machanism of another embodiment of myinvention, also adapted for use with the selection mechanism of saidPhinney patent and particularly designed for .the extraction of squareroot by the method'in which a value of 5 is automatically inserted in aselected order, and progressive increments of 1 are set into the nexthigher order.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the machanism shown in Fig. 4, suchas taken along the longitudinal vertical planes indicated by the line5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, show in detail the feed ratchet, the twovaluedetermining cams, and the clear gear, all of which are mounted on acommon shaft, and relate to the mechanisms shown in Figs. 4. and 5-Figs.7 and 8 being in enlarged scale} The selection mechanism of the saidPhinney patent provides ordinally arranged rows of value keys 20 (seeFig. 1). each of which is mounted upon a key stem 21 cut from a commonpattern. The key stems 21 are slidably mounted in the machine forvertical movement, being urged to their raised position by suitablesprings 22 and adapted to be latched in a depressed position by a commonbail, or latch, 23 engaging notches (not shown) in the sides of the keystems 21. Integral with the lower end of the key stems. 21 is adownwardly projecting head 24 provided with a pair of internally openingcam faces 25 and 26, as shown particularly in Fig. 4.

Associated with each order of keys 20 is a pair of gate members 30 and31 adapted to be operated by the cam faces 25 and 26, respectively. Thegate members are mounted longitudinally in the machine for rockingmovement by any suitable means such as aligned perforated cars 35 ateach end of'the gates, engaging over aligned studs 36 (as shown in Fig.5) mounted in the machine. The forward end of the left-hand gates 30 ofeach order is cut away (as shown in Fig. 1), to prevent engagement withthe l to 4 value keys and is provided with five cam cars 32 (see Fig.4), associated with the value keys 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. These ears 32 areof identical configuration and angular placement with respect to theassociated gate 30. Thus, the depression of any of the value keys 5 to9," inclusive, by means of the engagement of cam face 25 with an ear 32,rocks the gate 30 (clockwise in Fig. 4) a single increment of motion.The right-hand gate 31 of each order is provided with nine cars 33 whichare of similar size but are angularly displaced diiferential amounts:The 1 and 6 keys being adapted to give the bail, or gate, 31 a singleincrement of angular displacement (counterclockwise in Fig. 4); the 2and 7 keys being adapted to give two increments of motion, the 3 and 8adapted to give three increments of motion, the .4 and 9 four incrementsof motion, and the ,ear'associated with the 5 key being so set as toavoid rocking of the gate'31. Thus, the depression of the 1 to 4 valuekeys will rock the gate 31 by corresponding angularincrements of.motion; the depression of the 5" key will rock the gate'30 a singleincrement of motion but will not rockthe gate 31; while the depressionof the 6 to 9" keys will rock the gate 30 a single increment ofmotionand will rock the gate 31 by one to four increments of motion,respectively. Each of the gates 30 and 31 is provided with a bifurcatedrear end 37 (see Fig. 1) which engages feed gears 38. The feed gearassociated with the left-hand gate 30 has five teeth of identical toothwidth, while the gear 38 associated with the gate 31 has four teeth ofprogressively increasing lateral width so that the differentialdisplacement of the gear33 by the rocking of the gate 31 will projectone to four teeth into the plane of an intermediate gear 39. Thus, therocking of the gates differential amounts by the depression of the keys20 will be operative to place a corresponding number of teeth into theplane of the intermediate gear 39, whereby the rotation of the driveshaft 41 will be operative to transfer the selected values through theintermediate gear 39 into the register dials 40.

A more complete description of the selection mechanism .will be found inthe Phinney patent referred to. In view of the fact that this mechanismis conventional in one of the well-known calculating machines now on themarket, it will not be further described. It can be noted that myinvention, while dealing with this conventional selection mechanism,makes no claim as to any invention in the selection mechanism per so. Myinvention relates to a mechanism for progressively inserting values intothe selection mechanism, in multicycle operation of the machine, as isnecessary in the extraction of square root described in the applicationsabove-mentioned. In its preferred form the mechanism of my invention isalso adapted to store a value so set into the machine in order that itmay he held an indefinite time without effecting manual operation of thekeys 20 and the selection mechanism controlled thereby. The preferredform of my invention, which is shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, willnow be described.

The lower edge of each of the bails 30 and 31 is provided withdownwardly extending noses 50 and 51, respectively. These noses areadapted to engage an arcuate cam member 52. which lies between the twonoses 5i? and 51, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The arcuatecam 52 ismounted on a rocker arm 53, the rocker arms 53 being pivotally mountedon a suitable transverse shaft 54, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of therocker arms 53 is provided with a tail 55 to which is attached asuitable tension spring 55, the other end of which is aflixed to anysuitable means in the machine, thereby tending to rock the rocker 53 andintegral cam 52 (clockwise in Fig. l) to its inoperative, or zero,position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Associated with the ordinally arranged rocker arms 53 is a holding bail57 mounted on a transverse shaft 58, the bail being adapted to be rockedupwardly (counter-clockwise in Fir. l) by any suitable means not herepertinent, to engage the tail 55 of the rocker arm 53, and thereby lockthe arm against rotation.

The shape of the arcuate cam 52 is shown in the development of Fig. 3.It includes a peripheral edge 60 adapted to engage the nose 50 of gate30. This edge 60 is straight for four increments of motion from theposition shown (from left to right in Fig. 3), and then it is steppedoutwardly a single increment of motion corresponding to the rocking ofthe gate 30 when the 5 to 9 keys are depressed. The arcuate cam 52 isalso provided with a stepped face 61 adapted to cooperate with the gate31. This peripheral edge 61 is provided with ten stepped surfacescorresponding to the values 0 to 4,

inclusive, repeated once. These steps of the edge 6i are so arranged asto rock the gate 31: angular amounts corresponding to the rocking of the1 'to 9 keys, respectively, and a zero position such as shown in Fig. 3.

It is believed obvious that the rocking of the rocker 53 differentialamounts will be operative through the means of cam 52 to rock the hails30 and 31 to corresponding value positions," and will therefore beoperative to insert like values into the selection gears 38 and thenceinto register 40. A preferred means for thus ditierentially rocking therocker 53 will nowbe' described. A ratchet plate it; is pivotallymounted on the transverse shaft 54 immediately adjacent'each of therocker arms 53. The ratchet plate 70 is provided with ratchet teeth 71adapted to be engaged by a feed pawl 80 and a holding. pawl 95. It canbe noted at this point that the teeth 71 of theraclr must be wide enoughto permit both the feed pawl 8t) and the holding pawl 95 to engage thesame tooth. The ratchet plate 79 is also provided with an arcuate slot72 which embraces a pin 73 carried by the rocker arm 53. The

ratchet plate also has an integral arm, or projection,

74 upon which is rigidly secured a spring stud, 'or seat, 75

adapted to seat one end of a tension spring 76 tensioned between thestud 75 and the pin 73 previously mentioned. By this means the rockingof the ratchet plate 76 is operable by means of spring 76 to bias therocker arm 53 and integral cam 52 to a differential positioncorresponding to the position of the ratchet plate70.

The ratchet plate 70 can be fed to any difierential position by means ofthe feed pawl 80. Preferably the feed pawl 89 is pivotally mounted on afeedfarm 81 by'any suitable means, such as stud 82. The feed arm 81 isrigidly mounted on a transverse power shaft 83 which, through anysuitable mechanism not here pertinent, is given an oscillatory motionwith each cycle of machine operation. The feed pawl is resiliently urgedinto engagement with the ratchet plate 70 by a spring 84 tensionedbetween studs on the feed pawl Si) and feed arm 81. The rear end of thefeed pawl 86 is provided with a nose 85 adapted to engage the peripheryof a cam 86 rigidly secured to a cam shaft 87. The shaft 87 extendsacross the keyboard and is provided with a cam for each order of theselection mechanism. In the preferred form of my invention the cams 86are provided with depressions 88 staggered around the shaft 87, wherebyonly one feed pawl 80 will have its tail S5 seated in the depression 88of the corresponding camthe various orders being selectively operativeby rotation of the shaft 87 and fixed cams 86. When the feed pawl 80 isengaging the periphery of the cam outside of the notch, or depression,38, the feed pawl is rocked (clockwise from the Fig. 1 position) to aposition in which its nose is unable to engage the ratchet notches, orteeth, 71 of the ratchet plate 70. On the other hand, when the tail 85is seated in a depression 58 the spring 84 rocks the nose of the feedpawl 80 into engagement with the periphery of the ratchet plate 70.whereby the oscillation of the feed shaft 83 will be operative to rockthe ratchet plate 70 an increment of motion, where it will then be heldby the holding pawl if the latter is in its operative position. It willbe understood that the cam shaft will have a 0 position in which allfeed pawls are inoperative and that the feed pawl may be operated tofeed the ratchet either one or two, or even more, spaces in order toprovide for a predetermined progression of numbers (e. g. the feed of lin the first cycle and 2 in each cycle thereafter'to provide for theextraction of square root in S. N. 244,518, above mentioned).

Associated with each feed pawl 80 is a holding pawl 95, the holdingpawls 95 being ordinally arranged and pivotally mounted on a transverseshaft 96. The holding pawl 95 is in a plane immediately adjacent thefeed pawl 89, whereby both pawls may engage the same tooth71 of theratchet plate 70. Associated with the holding pawl 95 is a clearing bailv97 mounted on a transverse shaft 98. When the'bail is rocked to itsclockwise position (shown in Fig. 1) the bail engages the free end ofthe holding pawl, thereby rocking the pawl out of engagement with theperiphery of ratchet plate 70. However, when the bail 97 is rockedcounter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1, then the holdingpawl 95 is urged into peripheral engagement with the ratchet plate 70 bymeans of a spring 99.

It is believed that the operation of this preferred cmhodirnent willhave been understood by the above dcscription. However, it can bebriefly summarized by pointing out that the rocking of the feed shaft33- by a suitable mechanism not here pertinent, such as a square rootfeed mechanism, will rock all of the feed arms 81 and feed pawls Si). inthe order, or orders, in which the feed pawls are operative, by theseating of the tail 35 in the depression 88 of the cam 86, the feed pawlin its oscillation, engages the teeth 71 of the ratchet plate 76, urgingthe plate forwardly a selected increment of motion (counter-clockwise inFig. l). The ratchet is then held in the adjusted position by theholding pawl 95, if the, latter is permitted to act by the bail 97.Thus, the ratchet plate 70 is differentially positioned step-by-stepwith each cycle of machine operation and is held in the adjustedposition, if desired. The positioning of the ratchet plate 70 isoperable, through the spring 76, to similarly position the rocker arm 53and integral cam 52 in' a similar differential position. The positioningof the cam 52 is operable by means of its stepped faces 60 ate-sow 5values. A value so set in the cam 52 can be cleared by rocking the bail97 (clockwise in Fig. 1) to rock the holding pawl 95 (counter-clockwisein Fig. 1) to its disengaging position and simultaneously rocking theshaft 87 to its position, in which event none of the feed pawls 80 willengage the depressions 88 of the cam 86. When so released by the feedand holding pawls, the spring 56 rocks the rocker arm 53 to the 0, orinoperative, position.

If it is desired to store a value so fed into the ratchet plates 70, ina manner in which it can be used in subsequent operation at the will ofthe operator, the bail 57 is rocked (counter-clockwise in Fig. 1) toengage the tail 55 of the rocker arm 53. In that event the operation ofthe feed and holding pawls, and the consequent movement of the ratchetplate 70, is operable as before to set the value in the ratchet plate70. However, the rocker arm is locked against rocking by means of theholding bail 57, the spring '76 enabling the ratchet plate 70 to beadjusted to a proper differential position while the rocker arm is heldstationary. In this manner a value can be stored in the ratchet plate 70for use at any subsequent time, the value being set in the selectionmechanism whenever the bail 57 is rocked to its disengaging positionshown.

A second embodiment of my invention is shown in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive.In this embodiment the differential, or progressive, feeding of thevalues into the selection mechanism is controlled by the reciprocalmotion of a bar across the front part of the machine, and isparticularly adapted to insert a value of 5 in one order whileprogressively feeding values of 0 and l to 9" into the next higher orderof the keyboard, as is required in the extraction of square root by themethod shown and described in the Ellerbeck application, 8. N. 279,832above-mentioned. in this embodiment I prefer to set the selection gates30 and 31 by a pair of arms 110 and 111, respectively. These arms can bemounted in the machine in any desired manner, but preferably arepivotally mounted on riveted studs 112 and 113 secured to the crossbar114, which also pivotally supports the forward end of the gates 38 and31. The arms 110 and 111 are provided with riveted pins 116 and 117,respectively, which engage the forward end of the gates 30 and 31. Theconventional compression spring which urges the gates and theirassociated gears 38 to their extreme or 0 value, positions, is alsooperative to keep the pins 116 and 117 in engagement with the gates 30and 31. The opposite ends of the arms 110 and 111 are provided withnoses 118 and 119, respectively, which engage the peripheral edges ofcams 120 and 121, respectively (shown in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively).These cams are rigidly secured to a common cam shaft 122 which isjournalled in crossframe members 123 and 124 (see Fig. 5). It is thusobvious that the differential rotation of shaft 122, operating throughthe fixed'cams 12d and 121, will position the arms 110 and ,111,respectively, to represent a value corresponding to the angular positionof the shaft 122.

The cam 120 is adapted to engage the arm 110, to set the gate 30 in avalue corresponding to O or to the first adjusted position whichrepresents a value of 5 on the corresponding gear 38. Therefore, the cam30 has a peripheral edge having two radii, one corresponding to thevalue of "O" and the other corresponding to the value of- 5, Thus, therotation of the shaft 122 for values corresponding from 0 to "4 willpermit the gate 30 to lie in its extreme counter-clockwise position (asviewed in Fig. 4) with the arm 110 also rocked to the extremecounter-clockwise position. However, as the shaft 122 rotatesfronivalues of 4" to 5," the arm 110 will be rocked to rock the gate 31) tothe 5 position, and will be held'in such positioii until the shaftreturns to the 0 position.

The cam 121, rigidly secured to the same driveshaft 122 is a doublestepped cam with two series of steps corresponding to the values of 0and l to 4, inclusive, as shown in detail in Fig. 8. The differentialrotation of shaft 122 will therefore be operative to rock the arm 111 toposition the gate 31 in the positions corresponding to the values of 1"to "4 as above-described, after which the series will be repeated whilethe cam holds gate 30 in the 5 position.

In this embodiment the progressive feed of the values into the selectionmechanism is provided by the reciprocation of a feed bar suitablymounted in the front of the machine, and operated by any suitablemechanism, to reciprocate the bar once for each cycle of machineoperation. This feed bar 130 carries a plurality of ordinally spacedfeed pawls 131 which are pivotally secured thereto by any suitablemeans, such as studs 132. The feed pawls are urged into feeding position(clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 4) by a suitable spring 133tensioned between a long stud 134 on the right end of the feed pawl anda stud 135 on the feed bar 130. The nose of the feed pawl, when rockedby the spring 133 to the clockwise operative position, engages a ratchetwheel 136 likewise rigidly secured to the stub shaft 122.

Normally the feed pawl is held in a disengaged position by means of abellcrank 140 pivotally mounted on studs 141 riveted, or otherwiserigidly secured, to the crossbar 123 (see Fig. 5). The left-hand end ofthe horizontal arm of the bellcrank 140 carries a stud 142 to which isattached a tension spring 143 urging the bellcrank in acounter-clockwise direction. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper edge of thehorizontal arm of the bellcrank engages the long stud 134 on the feedpawl 131, thereby rocking the feed pawl counter-clockwise to itsdisengaged position. Normally the bellcrank 140 is held in its clockwiseor inoperative position, against the tension of spring 143 by a platecam 144 rigidly secured to a cam shaft 145. The cams 144 are eachprovided with a single depression 146 which are helically arrangedaround the shaft so that on rotation of the shaft, one, and only onedepression will permit the control bellcrank 140 to rock to itscounter-clockwise, or operative, position. Thus, all but one of thecontrol bellcranks 140 will be rocked to their inoperative position bythe cams 144, and rotation of the shaft 145 will progressively permitone bellcrank at a time to rock to its operative position, whereupon thefeed pawl 131 will be rocked by the tension of its spring 133 to engageits associated ratchet wheel 136. Thereupon, the reciprocation of feedbar 130 will be operative to rotate the ratchet wheel and with it theshaft 122 and the cams 120 and 121 secured thereto.

The assembly'including the ratchet wheel 136, shaft 122 and cams 120 and121, can be held in any adjusted position by a suitable holding pawl155. This pawl can be pivotally mounted on any suitable place in themachine but for simplicity, I prefer to mount it on the stud 112, whichalso supports the arm 110 previously mentioned. A spring 156 tensionedbetween an eyelet, or aperture, in the tail of the holding pawl, and astud 157 on the crossframe member 114, holds the holding pawl in itsengaging position.

The feed mechanism of this embodiment is particularly adapted to utilizethe method of extraction of square root shown and described in theEllerbeck application S. N. 279,832 above-mentioned. For this purposethe bellcrank 140 is provided with a'substantially vertical arm 150which engages a pin 151 on the lower end of each control arm 110. Thus,the rocking of the bellcrank 140 (counter-clockwise from the positionshown in Fig. 4) is operative to rock the arm 110 to place a value of inthe selection gate 30 simultaneously with the conditioning of the feedpawl 131 for feed of values in the next higher order ofv the selectionmechanism. By this means a value of .5 can be placed in one order andthe selection mechanism in the next higher order progressively fedintegrals'of 1" fro'rn the 0 position to a value of 9."

This mechanism just described can readily be zeroized or cleared by anysuitable means .such as a clear rack 160. This rack is mounted fortransverse reciprocation by means of slots 152 therein, engaging pins163 on the crossbar 124. This clear rack 160 is adapted to engage aclear gear 161 secured to the rear end of the shaft 122, if the gear .isrotated from the .0 position. The clear gear is of conventional design,and is shown as having ten teeth with two teeth removed. The clear rack160 car ries suitable clearing teeth 164 adapted to engage the teeth ofthe gear 161, if that gear is displaced from its position, and return itto .a "6 position in a conventional manner.

It is believed that the operation of this embodiment of my inventionwill be readily understood. The ,feed rack Eli} will be cyclicallyreciprocated with each cycle of machine operation in a desiredmulticycle operation. Normally each of the control bellcranks 140 willbe rocked to their clockwise or inoperative position by the engagementof the lower arms with the periphery of the cams u 144. However,incremental rotation of shaft 145 will rotate a earn 144 ,so that itsdepression 346 will engage the lower arm of the control bellcrank,permitting the bellcrank to be biased to its counter-clockwise positionby the force of its spring 143. In the preferred form shown the rockingof the bellcrank is operative to enter a value of in the arm 110 whichcontrols the position of gate 39 of the right-hand order, and willcondition the feed pawl for feeding the ratchet gear 136 in the nexthigher order to the left. Thereafter the reciprocation of the bar 13%will be operative to rotate the feed cam 13s by any preferred incrementsof value. In the event the invention of my mechanism is utilized in theextraction of square root in the type of machine as disclosed byPhinney, the next rocking of the shaft 145 will disengage the firstbellcrank 14% and enable the control bellcrank of the next lower order,thereby securing an incremental feed of the selection mechanisms, fromthe higher orders to the lower.

A value placed in a selection mechanism of my invention can be cleared,when desired, by reciprocation of the clear rack 16%, which byengagement of the displaced clear gears 161 will rotate the shaft 122forwardly to the 0 position, Where the form of the gear and rack blocksfurther operation of the clear gear.

I claim:

,1. in a cyclically operable calculating machine having a selectionmechanism including .ordinally arranged rockable gates and meanscontrolled by the angular position of said gates for determining thevalue to be entered into said machine, the combination which comprisesmeans including a cam means in each order operative to position saidgates, and means for cyclically positioning said cam means.

2. in a cyclic calculating machine having a selection mechanismincluding ordinally arranged roekable gates and means controlled by theangular position of said gates for determining the value to be enteredinto said machine, the combination which comprises means including a cammeans in each order operative to position said gates, an ordinallyarranged cyclically operated means for progressively changing theposition of said cam means, and means for enabling said positioningmeans in a predetermined ordinal progression.

3. in a calculating machine having a selection mechanism includingordinally arranged rockable gates and means controlled by the angularposition of said gates for determining the value to be entered into saidmachine, means for positioning said selection gates which comprises anordinally arranged cam means operative to position said gates, and meansfor cyclically changing the position of said cam means.

4. in a calculating machine having a selection mechanism includingordinally arranged rockable gates and means controlled by the angularposition of said gates for determining the value to be entered .intosaid machine, means for positioning said selection gates which comprisesan ordinally arranged cam means for positioning said gates, a poweroperated member and means operate by said member for progressivelypositioning said preselected cam means by selected increments of motion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 comprising also means including a cam forconditioning said positioning means for cyclic operation in apredetermined ordinal progression.

6. In a calculating machine having a selection mechincluding in .eachorder a pair of rockable gates and means controlled by the angularposition of said gates for determining the value to be entered'into saidmachine, means for positioning said selection gates which comprises apositioning arm cooperating with each gate, cam means for positioningeach arm, and cyclically operated means for changing the position ofsaid cams by selected increments of motion.

7. In a calculating machine having a selection mechanism including pairsof rockable gates and means controlled by the angular position of saidgates for determining the value to be entered into said machine, meansfor cyclically adjusting .the angular position of said gates whichcomprises the combination of a cam means associated with each pair ofgates and operative to rock the gates an amount representative of thevalues 0 and "1 to 9, inclusive, means for differentially positioningsaid cam means, and means for cyclically operating said positioningmeans.

8. The mechanism of claim 7 comprising also means for holding saidpositioning means in an adjusted position.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the positioning means comprises aratchet device, and the means for cyclically operating the positioningmeans includes a feed pawl for positioning said ratchet device and meansincluding a .cam for positioning said feed pawl in operating position.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising also spring means forpositioning said cam from the position of said positioning member, andmeans for locking said cam means against movement.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 including also means including a cam forconditioning said positioning means for cyclic operation in apredetermined ordinal progression.

12. In a calculating machine having a'selection mechanism includingordinally arranged pairs of rockable gates and means controlled by theangular position of said gates for determining the ordinal values to beentered into said machine, means for cyclically changing the angularposition of said gates in a predetermined progression which comprisesthe combination of a cam means associated with each ordinal pair ofgatesand operative to rock the gates an amount representative of the values 0and l" to 9, inclusive, ordinally arranged means for difierentiallychanging the position of said cam means, cyclically operated means foroperating said positioning means, and means for progressively enablingsaid ordinal positioning means.

13. In a calculating machine having a selection mechanism including apair of rockable gates, one of which is settable to a 0 or a 5 positionand the other of which is settable to two series of O and'l to 4positions, and means controlled by the angular position of said gatesfor determining the value to be entered into said machine, means forcyclically adjusting the angular position of said gates which comprisesa cam means operative to position the gates of each pair, said cam meanshaving a cam face operable to rock the firstmentioned t gate to 0 or 5positions and another face operable to rock the second-mentioned gatethrough two series of 0 and 1 to 4 positions, means for differentiallypositioning said cam means, and cyclically operated means forcontrolling saidpositioning means.

14. In a calculating machine having a selection mechanism comprising apair of rockable gates and means controlled by the angular position ofsaid gates for determining the value to be entered into said machine,means for cyclically adjusting the angular position of said gates whichcomprises the combination of a cam means lying between the gates of eachpair, said cam means having camming edges adapted to rock the gates anamount representative of the values 0 and 1 to 9, inclusive, a ratchetplate resiliently connected to each of said cam means, a feed pawl forpositioning each said ratchet plate, and means including a cam forpositioning successive of said feed pawls in operating position.

15. In a calculating machine having an ordinally arranged selectionmechanism comprising a pair of rockable gates in each order and meanscontrolled by the angular position of said gates for determining thevalue to be entered into said machine, means for positioning saidselection gates which comprises a positioning arm cooperating with eachgate, ordinally arranged cam means for positioning each arm, a ratchetgear associated with each ordinal cam means, a feed pawl for rotatingsaid ratchet gear, drive means for cyclically operating said feed pawl,and means including a cam for positioning successive of said feed pawlsin operating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

